Olga Costa was only 12 when her family left Germany for Mexico in 1925. The Costas were impoverished, and Olga’s studies at the Academy of San Carlos, under Carlos Mérida and Emilio Amero, were eventually cut short. But Mérida was impressed, calling her “the white angel of Mexican painting.” Despite her European origins, Costa embraced the soul and vibrancy of her new country. After marrying the muralist José Chávez Morado in 1935, she moved in influential circles, socializing with the likes of Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, Maria Izquierdo, and Juan Soriano. The couple lived in Mexico City and quickly became prominent voices in its modernist movement. Despite Costa’s widespread acclaim in Central America, her work has rarely been shown in Europe. This rare survey in Costa’s native Germany follows her career through 80 works. —Elena Clavarino